EN7: 2. APRIL 22 - what's special about this date?

[Sinikka Laakio-Whybrow, Teacher]

Why does the Google logo look like this today, April 22, 2009?
Did you know that this day is celebrated as Earth Day in many countries? Have you ever heard of it?

To know the history, and the person behind this idea watch this 30-minute video. What thoughts does it instill in you?

Also, read these tips on how to celebrate Earth Day, and write about something that you could, and would want to practically do for the environment , to make every day an Earth Day - or maybe already do.

I, for example, object to the excessive use of plastic bags and usually carry a cloth bag for my shopping.

Why does this make sense? Read this short TIME news item.

Also read and look at the wonderful photos that Ms Norizan Md Said, a teacher from Sabah Science Secondary School, has uploaded on the Comment Wall of this group concerning planting trees with her students in Malaysia.

Please write your thoughts and replies underneath here.

[Jan]

I prefer bike instead of car or a buss. It's better for environment and a lot cheaper. I also buy only durable stuff like clothes, I dont waste my money to cheap and weak objects.

[Kasperi]

It’s important to us to have days like Earth Day. Those days remind us about how important it is to take care of the earth. We should leave the earth for our children at least in same condition that it is now and maybe in better condition. I have to say I not perfect example my self. I usually ignore subjects like global warming and greenhouse gases. But still I du thinks like going school whit bike, don’t buy thinks I don’t really need and I don’t use tape to but my ice hockey gears on. Onetime I read an article written about project called “One garbage every day”. Thing is to pick up at least one garbage every day from the street. I don’t know does it make global warming go away but we could try.
Kasperi

[Sinikka Laakio-Whybrow, Teacher]

You are very honest, Kasperi, admitting that you are not a perfect example. I think it's the same with most of us! At least you are doing some environmentally-friendly things. Going to school by bike is also good for your health, isn't it?

"One piece of garbage every day" sound like a good simple project that could really make a difference in the long run. Maybe you could find a web link for it for the rest of us to check?

Couldn't agree with you more about the need to think of future generations.

[Jenni]

The campaigns like Earth hour and Earth day are the first step forward to make this world a better place to live for us and for future generations. People have to wake up and see that the problems like global warming are real and they won´t disappear if we don´t do anythink about it. But can we change something by switching off the lights once a year. And we´re only talking about one hour. It requires more than that. Environmental protection should be always on our mind. We can travel by bus or by bike instead of private cars and recycling is the way to stop earth to get coverred in trashes. If everybody changed their habbits, we would slowly save the earth step by step.
Well, this is a good start, but we can do it better!

[Sinikka Laakio-Whybrow, Teacher]

I do agree with you Jenni that once a year doesn't sound a lot, but it can mark the beginning for changing our habits, just as you said. There is an English saying 'Action speaks louder than words' - do you think this could be applied here, too?

[krisli kapanen]

Even though I read news and follow events of the world, I have never heard about Earth day. After watching the video I began to understand more about this day. It feels like to me that this is nearly the same idea than "earth hour". In my opinion it is good that we have such days once in a while. Those days reminds us how important it is to take care about our provider. it is our duty to ensure that our offsprings and their offsprings will have same kind of opportunities than we have right now, for example live in clean, beatiful and green environment.

What am I doing for earth?
-I Use public transportation
- I recycle
-I switch off lights when i don´t need them

What could I do for earth?
- Switch off electronic devices, and not just put them to standby, when im not using them
- Use bike instead of motor vehicle
- regulate water consumption

[jenni]

I think that we should have more the days like Earth hour and the campaigns like Earth hour, because they remind us how important the earth is to us. Those days can also get people to notice problems which our environment has, like global warming and pollution. But it dosen't make sense if we think the earth only one day in a year because it should always be on our mind.

I use bus or bike and I try recycle. I have also switched off lights and electronic dervices always when I don't need them.

[Karoliina~]

I also think that days like Earth day and Earth hour are a good reminder about our earth's problems. They can get people think more how they could slow down or maybe even stop the global warming. I think some of the people have this "one person can do nothing" ideology. And it's not good. It really would help the earth if we all would recycle and use cloth bags instead of plastic bags, walk or use bus and bicycle instead of private cars. Of course there is much more things we could do to help earth.

Myself, I use public transportation, recycle and try to remember switch off lights when I don't need them.

[Sara]

I haven't heard of Earth day before, but after watching the video and reading the text I think that Earth day is a good invention. It's important that everyone knows what is threatening our earth. People don't understand that for example global warming is really happening all the time. People have to do something.
Good ways to help Earth is for example switch the lights off, use public transportation or cycle and walk, recycle..
I use public transportation and I cycle. I also recycle and switch the lights off.

[Sinikka Laakio-Whybrow, Teacher]

Couldn't agree with you more, Sara! What do you recycle then, for example? Any other ways of saving electricity than switching off lights?
You know, some experts believe that global warming is nothing but a myth, that there have been fluctuations in global temperatures all through the ages. What makes you convinced that global warming really is happening?

[Jani]

Experts who think that global warming is just a normal fluctuation in global temperatures are partly right. Yes, there have been many fluctuations in temperatures and some of them resemble this, but this time it happens because of us not because of the nature.
So this is why events like Earth day are important to make people understand that this is something we can really have an influence on.
Things like shutting the lights and prefering public transportation are a good start, but still not nearly enough. The main question when thinking about ways to fight the global warming is: Are people really ready to change their consumer habits and give up the western way of life? The changing of our everyday life isn´t going to be easy task, but it doesn´t have to happen at one go and little things are better than nothing.

[Oona]

In our family I'm the one who tries to save the world. I switch the ligts off everytime I leave a room for a longer then 15 minutes. It's so annoying when I have to switch the lights off after everyone. I also try to recycle, but I'm not so good at it. There is one bad side in my saving project: I drive to school by car or moped. Usually winter I use public transport.